An Empty Heart
by Lady Gisborne 15
Summary: SEQUEL TO ALMOST LOVER...Rumpelstiltskin had foolishly let her go. And she was right. All he had was an empty heart and a chipped cup. But when he is given the chance to redeem himself, will he take it? Or will he be a coward once again? And if he does decide to be brave, how will he ever be able to cope with Belle's new and frightening secret?
1. Chapter 1

_**So, I'm back, my friends! And I am so excited for this sequel. I think it is going to be awesome, and it's sure to be epic, dramatic, and...of course... romantic!**_

_** If you did not read **__**Almost Lover, **__**then I suggest that you read it before you read this story. But, if you don't want to, that is just fine. Let me just give a brief summary of what took place in **__**Almost Lover**__**:**_

_** It all began when Belle struck a deal with the infamous Dark One, to go and live with him forever in exchange for the safety of her kingdom and family. Hatred stirred in her heart for the beast, but she never broke her word or fled the Dark Castle.**_

_** A friendship slowly began to build little by little as Rumpelstiltskin showed the own goodness hiding away in his soul, and Belle continued to show her bravery. One night, Rumpelstiltskin saved her from death, succeeding in catching her from falling off of a balcony. In that instant, though he denied it, Belle knew there was still good in him, and it was then that he told her to address him by his real name instead of the title of 'master'.**_

_** When Robin Hood stole the magic wand from the castle, it was Belle who convinced Rumpelstiltskin to spare the man's life. In that moment, she embraced him for the first time and love began to bloom amidst their hearts.**_

_** But then, all was not to be well. One night, Belle disobeyed her master and went to the West Wing, a place he had deliberately ordered her never to go. There, she found his cursed dagger, and Rumpelstiltskin, sensing the dagger's pull, transported home to find it in Belle's possession. Both frightened and furious that she had nearly controlled him, he screamed at her in rage. Belle, too scared to think, fled from the Dark Castle into the woods where she was attacked by a pack of wolves. She screamed out her master's name and he came and saved her, bringing her back to the Castle. **_

_** He had been injured and it was Belle who bandaged his wound and took care of him. Rumpelstiltskin told her of his sad story and of the dagger, and of how he had never meant to hurt her. Belle and Rumpelstiltskin forgave each other and nearly had their first kiss, before he pulled away and went to bed.**_

_** The following day, Rumpelstiltskin's long-time "friend", Jefferson, visited the Dark Castle in search of a sleeping potion. He easily deduced the feelings stirring between the master and his slave, and he tells Rumpelstiltskin that the only way to know if Belle truly does love him is to let her go and see if she returns.**_

_** And so, with a heavy heart, Rumpelstiltskin does just that and Belle leaves the Dark Castle. He knows that she will never return, but he waits for her anyway, hopelessly hoping that she will come back. And she does. Belle, while out walking, had met the Evil Queen who had told her that the only way to break his curse was through True Love's Kiss. And so, Belle kisses him and he slowly begins to turn back into a human. But in an instant, he pulls away, furious that she had tricked him. He, thinking that she had betrayed him, orders her to leave and she goes.**_

_** Thus, ends **__**Almost Lover**__** and now begins **__**An Empty Heart**__**.**_

_**XxxxXxxXXxxXXxx**_

__He had let her go. Just let her walk away through the doors of the Great Hall and out of his life forever. How could he have been so stupid?! Rumpelstiltskin's mind was awhirl with thought. He was at his spinning wheel trying to forget, and yet all he could think about was that beautiful woman whom he had foolishly fallen in love with.

_"Because no one, NO ONE, can ever, EVER, love me!"_

_"If only you knew how wrong you are, Rumpelstiltskin. Because I love you more than I could ever describe in words."_

Had she really meant it? In that moment, Rumpelstiltskin had very nearly forgiven her. His heart had softened at the truth that was so apparent in the voice that was pleading with him to believe her. And yet, he hadn't. Was it only his regret that was telling him that perhaps she had not lied? Maybe, she had been telling the truth after all. And he had scorned her, treated her as if she were a lying traitor. But wasn't that what he had accused her of?

Rumpelstiltskin growled. _Stop! Stop! STOP! Just stop thinking about her!_ For so long he had been trying to convince himself that he didn't need her. That he had been alone for hundreds of years, how should this be any different? But it was different because he could feel the pangs of loneliness. His heart hurt. His heart had hurt only once...after he had lost Bae. And now, he knew, that the last of his heart had been broken the moment she had set foot out of the Dark Castle. And now, he regretted it.

She had said he would. And she was right. _How long has she been gone now_? Rumpelstiltskin sighed. She had only been gone for two days. How on earth would he be able to cope with this pain for the rest of his eternal life? He doubted it would dull at all. And what about her? Was she feeling the same? If she truly did love him, then she probably was. But if she had been lying...well, then, she was probably smiling slyly. She was probably chuckling behind his back, the back of a weak, love-sick man who was supposed to be a blood-curdling monster.

Just then, the doors of the Great Hall swung open and he cursed silently. He had been too occupied in his thoughts to even notice the distinct pull of magic upon the barriers of his home.

He did not turn to see who the new-comer was. He already knew by the ammonia smell of her magic and the crackling power that radiated off of her form. He frowned. She was not somebody he needed to deal with today or ever again. Not after how she had used Belle to nearly destroy him.

"Flimsy locks, Rumple," the woman stated as she slowly approached him, "Your thoughts must be distracted today." The imp did not say anything and she just waved her hand in boredom, "Ah, well. I am in need of something from you. I have to get rid of a certain pest, a young mermaid girl."

"I'm not dealing today," he said quietly as he continued to turn the wheel underneath his hand.

Regina raised an eyebrow and set her lips in a thin line. "What is it?" She asked, "What have I done now?"  
Rumpelstiltskin wished he could just walk right up to her and strangle the life from her. Her voice was like screeching to his already hurting head. Why couldn't she just go away? "It didn't work, Regina," he announced, trying to irk her, "You're little plan failed. Accept it, dearie. You'll never be more powerful than me."

She smirked, "Is this about the pretty girl I met on the road?" She mocked him. "What was her name? Margie? Verna?"

"Belle," he interrupted. He felt a slight pang as her name left his lips.

"Right." Regina sounded displeased. The girl had been blessed with good looks. Did her name also need to emphasize that? She shook the thought away and added, "Well, you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy."

Rumpelstiltskin's hand stilled on the wheel and he tried to remain calm as he turned to face Regina. He saw that she had had the audacity to make herself a cup of tea from the tray sitting on the table. And, more importantly, she was preparing to drink from his chipped cup. Just before her filthy lips could touch the edge of the cup, he used magic to snatch it away. She looked at him, her face red with anger, but she chose to force a smile. He held the chipped heart close to his heart as he said, "Now. What tragedy?" His teeth were clenched. What on earth was Regina up to?

"You don't know?" Her eyes widened in shock before she smiled and chuckled, "Well, then..." she circled around to the edge of the table and leaned her elaborately buttressed dress against it, "When she left, she went back home to her father. And after her...association with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father and fiance shunned her. Cut her off and shut her out."

"So she needs a h-home?" Rumpelstiltskin could barely register what he was hearing. If Belle needed a home, he would willingly give her one. At this point, his pride no longer played a part. He missed her. That was all there was to it. But, then, his last hope came crashing down like splintering glass as Regina continued.

The Queen laughed wickedly. "He was cruel to her. The girl was locked away in the dungeons. Her father sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flame. She cried and screamed but no one came. Eventually, she threw herself off the tower." With a final glimmer of victory in her eyes, she announced coldly, "She died."

The fiend was at a loss for words. Surely, he hadn't heard Regina right? And if he had, she had to be playing some kind of trick. Trying to make him weak when his Belle was truly safe and sound. "You're lying," he protested, but his words sounded hollow to his ears. After all, if Belle did return home, her father would consider her marked by the beast that had taken her. So, the cleansing did make sense. His skin grew bright red with indignation at the thought of her being in such pain because of him.

Regina countered, "Am I?"

Rumpelstiltskin could see the daring in her eyes. Why should she lie about such a thing? If she wanted to destroy him there were so many different ways that she could do so. Why lie about Belle? He clenched his teeth and kept the tears from springing to his eyes. What if Belle truly was dead? He had never even gotten to say a proper goodbye. "We're done," he managed to say.

She sighed, "Very well. But if only there were some way you could see her again, Rumple...one last time." Her words hit their mark: his aching heart. He felt their sting acutely, but focused instead on the anger swelling up inside of him.

"Get out."

She nodded in acquiescence before walking around the edge of the table and swiping her finger across its surface. She looked at the finger and shook her head reprimandingly at the imp. "Place is filthy, Rumple." She leaned close to him and her eyes shone with malice. "You should get a new girl."

He did not retaliate at her jab. He just watched as she walked out through the doors and down the hall. He was alone once again without another single presence in the Dark Castle. And his Belle was dead.

Wait? Dead. And for the first time, the meaning of that word hit him. She had been unable to bear the pain and the torture her father had bestowed upon her. And she had been desperate enough to take her own life by flinging herself out of a tower window. Had she called his name? If she had, he would certainly have heard it. Why wouldn't she have called for him to save her? He blinked back the tears of despair. She had always been stubborn. Belle had been stubborn and courageous to the end. And in the end, she had died a lonely death. One that she, by no means, deserved.

The pain was too much. The fiend fell hard upon the table, gripping it between his fingernails until he left deep scratches in its hard surface. He let out a loud moan of anguish as he fought back the tears from springing to his eyes. No matter how much he loved her, did he really deserve the right to cry over her death? A woman who had seen good in him, whom he had rejected, and thrown away? A quivering hand went up to swipe across his worn face as a sob escaped his lips.

"Dead..." he whispered to the stillness around him, "Dead." He still couldn't believe it. And he had never been able to say goodbye to her properly. To apologize for his wrongs and for hurting her. She had died without knowing how much it had pained him to let her go. And he would never see her again.

The Queen's voice rang through his ears. _But if only there were some way you could see her again, Rumple...one last time. _If only there was.

WAIT.

There was. Oh, yes. It was a risky venture, especially if she was dead and buried six feet in the ground. He would be left to see her pale white skin and rotting flesh. But, it was a chance to see her again properly. He would be given closure, to know that Regina's tale was true.

And with those thoughts, he waved a hand and the purple smoke of magic curled around his fingertips. When the smoke had cleared, he was holding a beautiful object in his hand. A magic mirror. He had only used it once: to try and find Bae. But wherever Bae had gone, the mirror had been unable to see him. But Belle was still in the magical realm, so it should work.

He took a deep breath and exhaled. Did he really want to do this? What good would it do to see his Belle buried underneath dirt, her body mangled and broken by torture? It would certainly just scar him worse and bleed through into his nightmares.

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head hard. He knew that he had to do this. An inexplicable tugging was upon his heart. He had to see her one last time, no matter how distorted her dead form would be.

He closed his eyes and groped for the magic within the mirror. His mind stretched out and touched the tentative strands of the power. He reached for it and grabbed hold of it with his own magical entities. And then, he thought of Belle and of how much he missed her. "Show me Belle," he commanded the mirror and then he very slowly opened his eyes, fear of what he may see creeping over him.

At first, the surface of the mirror only showed his reflection. And then the glass began to stir to a black background and he squinted for any sign of Belle. So, she _was_ buried under the ground and it was too dark for him to see her. Just his luck. He nearly turned away when he saw the surface of the mirror stir again and he saw a flicker of light.

The light slowly grew bigger and bigger until he saw a small figure. She was dressed in tattered clothes. Her back was leaning against a wall, and her knees were held tight to her chest. Her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, hiding her face from view. He heard the slight squeak of a door and heard the click of heels upon a stone floor.

His heart was racing. His blood was pumping. And then the girl's body jumped and he saw her face. He saw the face of Belle. She looked frightened and her eyes shut tight. His heart nearly jumped with elation. She was alive! She had survived after all.

But where was she? Confusion took over his elation, and then anger after that. For just then, he heard an all too familiar voice that now made him feel sick to his stomach.

"He bought it, my dear," her sniveling voice said. The Queen's body was hidden from the mirror but she was clearly addressing the woman at her feet.

"You didn't need to hurt him so. What could you possibly gain from all of this?" Belle asked bravely.

Regina chuckled, "A broken monster is not really a monster at all."

Belle raised her head to look the woman in the eye, "So, what are you going to do with me now?"

"Oh, believe me, I have my own plans for you, dear." He heard the pure malice in her voice and Rumpelstiltskin's heart leapt in both anger and fear. What was she going to do to her? A hand reached out and slapped his Belle's pure white skin. And that was when, for just a fraction of a second, he caught a glimpse of her eyes and it seemed as if she was staring right back at him, pleading with him for help. He blinked twice, too surprised for thought, and then his Belle was lying upon the floor of her prison cell. He saw the outlines of shackles on her wrists and ankles. Her dress was torn and bloodied. Long cuts ran up her arms and legs. Regina was torturing her and all this time he had been oblivious. She was in danger and he had not known.

He allowed the images to float away, and the mirror returned to normal. How had he dared to believe that Regina had been telling him the truth?! Now, he was seething with rage. And he was going to rescue Belle. It was clear Regina had her locked away in her own castle. Getting inside would not be difficult. He could just transport himself there. But how to rescue Belle...he wouldn't be able to just go to her and walk out, free and clean. He needed something to trade for her safety. Something Regina would want. And he knew just the thing.

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"What have you done?" Belle cried out in a mixture of both fear and pain.

"Well, now, I do believe you know." Regina was standing over her crouched form. Belle was laying upon the floor of the woman's apothecary. Her body was squeezed together into a tight ball and Belle was crying.

She sobbed, "But how will this help you? What could you possibly gain from all of this?"

"Put two and two together, my dear," Regina sneered as if the woman at her feet was a delinquent instead of a princess, "I have done so much, and I know that he will not just take my word about your death. He will find a way of discovering that you are still alive, and when he does he will come and rescue you."

"Then why imprison me? Why...why do what you have done?" Her eyes were scrunched closed, futily trying to stop the tears from flowing.

The Evil Queen cackled, "You are daft, aren't you? This will destroy him. I don't want him to just be heartbroken. I want his heart to be ripped from his chest. I want him to feel such pain that he will wish for death before it will ever be given. And it is this, my dear, more than anything, that will destroy him."

Belle shook her head, "Why would you want to destroy him?"

"Well," Regina smiled cruelly, "For one, I don't love him as you do. I could care less whether he lived or died. But if he became weak, a skeleton of who he once was...I will become the most powerful sorcerer in the realm. All people will bow before me, and he will be left to watch as his reign ends and mine comes to fruition. For you see, my pretty Belle, a life filled with anguish and despair is so much more painful than death." She crouched beside the girl and whispered into her face, "Death is too easy."

**XxxxXXxxXXxxXXxx**

** _So, I wanted this chapter to be a bit long since it is the first chapter. Let me know what you think. I am so excited for this story, and I can't wait to write more! Just like with __Almost Lover__, I will try to update every Tuesday, as best as I can. _**

_** Please Review, my lovelies! I hope that I see a lot of old friends and newer acquaintances to this story!**_

_** And welcome to the adventure known as An Empty Heart.**_

_** ~Lady Gisborne 15 :D**_


	2. Chapter 2

_** Thank you all so much for the lovely feedback! I am amazed that even as this story is starting, Almost Lover continues to grow increasingly more popular. I just wanted to take a moment to personally thank all of you. You are wonderful, and are all awesome at keeping me motivated!**_

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__It was silent. Deathly silent. And dark. Belle desired the dark because she couldn't see anything around her, and she could slowly slip into moments of insanity where she didn't know where she was. Those moments she found to be delicious and frightening at the same time. It had been what? Four days since she had been thrown in her cell. Why should she be turning to insanity already?

Her view was torn in regards to the absolute silence. It hadn't been this quiet since she had arrived. For one, she was grateful because it meant that Regina was not coming down to test a new device of torture on her. But, at the same time, she hated it. Because in the silence, her mind was far from quiet. She could hear his voice over and over again. When she closed her eyes she could see him. She could practically feel him on her skin. She breathed in his scent and felt his lips on her own. Every thought of hers was filled with Rumpelstiltskin and she hated it. Because deep down inside, she was constantly being reminded of him, of his goodness, of his wickedness, and of her undying love for him. He had thrown her away as if she had been filthy vermin! How could her heart still yearn for his? She knew, in some part of her soul, that he had loved her. Perhaps it was that one thought that was keeping her sane in the silence around her. Perhaps that was why her mind was plastered upon him.

She wondered if he would come, like the Queen said, but deep down she doubted if he would ever be able to find her in this hell-hole. But then again, Belle had felt something strange, as if someone else had been watching her. After Regina had slapped her and she had turned her face away, she could almost taste the metallic of magic in the air. And she could almost see him staring back at her. The hair on her neck had stood on end and she felt the acute presence of another, watching over her. But could it have been...? Well, if it was, would he come for her? That was the real question and Belle was still trying to decide if she truly wanted him to come.

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Regina had felt his magic when she had been in the cell. It had crawled across her skin, tingling all the way down her spine. He had been looking for Belle, and he had seen her. Regina was sure of it and this caused her lips to curl into a deliciously large smile. Yes, just as she had thought. Love would make this old fool weak, and then, he would be like putty in her hands. Pliable and squashable. "Behold the end of the Dark One," she whispered to herself.

"Muttering to yourself again, are we, dearie?" She heard his voice behind her and turned to face him. He was garbed in a silken shirt with a red leather vest over that. His knee high boots were laced up over his brown breeches. And to complete his ensemble he was wearing his raven feathered cloak, the one he had worn when he had captured Belle.

Regina smirked, "Why have you come here, Rumple? You saw me only two days ago. Miss me already?" She approached him slowly, her deep purple dress blooming about her on all sides. Her black locks were pinned up on top of her head and in her hair was a deep red rose.

Rumpelstiltskin grunted, not too eager to enter into any banter with the woman. He was angry, barely concealing it from her view. He knew the Queen to be a perceptive person. No need for her to find out that she had succeeded in angering the all-powerful Dark One. Instead, he forced his jaw to remain steady as he pointed a scaly finger at her. "No more of your games, Regina. You know why I am. You have something that I want back."

"Oh," Regina purred, "So you didn't believe me, eh, Rumple? You knew the girl was here. Intellectual to the very last."

"I want her to be released, dearie."

Regina walked so close to him that he could feel her hot breath on his mouth. It was rancid compared to Belle's. She whispered, "And what makes you think I will do that?"

"You are a smart woman, Regina," he answered, moving even closer to her until their chests were plastered against each other. His hands gripped her wrists in tight vices as he sneered, "So you will know that I am not asking this time. I am commanding you." He pushed her away roughly and watched her as she grinned.

"Of course you can have the girl, Rumple. But you are smart enough to know that I will need something in return."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded curtly. "And knowing that, I have prepared something that I thought you might specifically like."

"So that is why it took you forever to arrive. I expected you here at least yesterday. Tell me, what do you have that I might want?"

His blood was tingling with the possibility of a deal, and the imp unmasked his true impish character. He elaborately waved his hands in the air and purple smoke enveloped them. When the fog disappeared, his right hand held something. A dark apple. With red that was of the deepest shade, shining in what little light there was. "This," he giggled impishly, "Is what I have prepared for you."

"What is it?" Regina could not help but appear mesmerized by the apple before she looked at him, eyes flashing with anger. "You think your girl's freedom is worth a single apple? You disgrace me."

"Oh come, come, Regina," he cackled, "You can feel the magic within. You can see the evil dripping from it's red hue. This, dearie," he twirled the apple in his hand, "Is a poisoned apple, and this will help aid you in the removal of your worst enemy."

She widened her eyes, "This will kill Snow White?" She reached for the apple but he pulled it out of her reach and tucked it into his jacket.

"No, no, it won't kill her." Regina seemed disappointed until Rumpelstiltskin added, "But it will put her to sleep. A sleeping curse so powerful that she will be brought to a place of fire and ash. She will be burned and she will be trapped in a place of pain and searing flesh. But she won't be able to escape. A fate, I believe, worse than death."

"And can it be broken?" For a rare moment, Regina actually seemed impressed.

He smirked, "Of course it can, by True Love's Kiss. But capture her True Love and you will not have to worry about that."

She laughed, "I can easily dispense of him. Her...Prince Charming."

"So do we have a deal?" He asked, deliciously craving the exchange.

Regina thought for only a moment before she nodded. "Deal. The poisoned apple for the darling slave girl. But look at what love has done to you, Rumple. I mean, is this really worth it?" She asked innocently, but her eyes were cold and full of malice. "To trade such a powerful tool for a woman? She won't have you, you know."

"I do this as a favor," he forced himself to keep from clenching his teeth in rage at her words. "One last favor for cruelly throwing her out."

"I don't care why you do it," she sighed in boredom, "Only that I receive that apple."

He nodded his head and made the apple reappear. "I know of your infatuation with the fruit. I figured you would appreciate the apple."

She chuckled, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness. It will be well used. And now for my part of the bargain." She snapped her fingers and her magic worked to fulfill its bidding.

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Belle's eyes were closed and she was remembering the moment Rumpelstiltskin had caught her in his arms after she had fallen from the ladder. His lean form had been surprisingly strong and he had been so gentle as he had cradled her in his arms. The light had beamed through the window, illuminating his monstrous face to her, and yet, she hadn't found him repulsive to look at. No, instead she had found it difficult to concentrate on nothing else but herself in his arms, being held so close to his chest, drinking in his smell. She had not wanted him to release her.

_Rumple..._she whispered as her eyes fluttered open. She was trying to concentrate all her strength on remembering every feature of him, lest she forget and become mad in her captivity. And then, she felt it.

Her body was itching all over. Tingles were running up and down her spine. She felt chilled and the air seemed to be electrically charged. Her heart leapt, but she would not panic. She knew what was going on. Rumpelstiltskin had used magic to transport Belle before, and she recognized the distinct pull of the magic. It was happening to her again. She was being pulled somewhere else.

Belle barely had time to lick her lips before she disappeared and was lost to a split second of black.

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In a flash, he saw her upon the cold stone floor. She collapsed in a crumpled heap, wincing in pain. Rumpelstiltskin was shocked at how much weight she had lost in only four days. She was not overly thin, but her cheeks were gaunt and pale, and she was definitely underfed. His blood boiled as he saw the cuts and burns across her exposed arms. He saw her torn and severely immodest dress. The blue dress he had given her when she had still been his prisoner.

He gritted his teeth as he asked Regina in the coldest tone he could muster, "What have you done to her?"

"Oh come, come, Rumple," Regina answered as if Belle's wounds were nothing, "A little torture never hurt anyone."

"How dare you lay a finger on her!" He curled his hands into fists to keep from doing something rash...like incinerating Regina. Which right about now, didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Regina smiled cruelly and he felt sick to his stomach. "What are you going to do to me, hmm? Kill me?" Rumpelstiltskin unclenched his fists and she looked upon him with malicious satisfaction. "I thought not." She clucked her teeth, "Love has made you weak, my old master."

"I don't love her," Rumpelstiltskin spit out, "I-" His words stopped as Belle's consciousness returned.

The first thing her eyes laid upon was the imp's elaborately dressed figure. Her eyes went wide, and even though in pain, she managed to raise herself up to a kneeling position. "Rum?" She whispered in a voice full of raw surprise and relief. "You came. I knew you would come." She sounded tired and her eyelids half-dropped but she did not stop looking at him for one moment.

He found his heart swell with joy to see and hear her so happy that he had come to save her. He let out an inward sigh of relief to know that he would be able to take her away from this demon's place. "Belle," he replied softly before he felt his heart constrict and begin to harden once again. No! He would not allow his heart to soften towards this woman again. It had been a mistake, a mistake that he would never repeat. His eyes became a cold stare again and she shivered under his gaze but would not look away. Courageous as ever.

"Is that any way to speak to your master, girl?" Regina sneered, "You should be horsewhipped for your insolence."

"Regina, enough," he barked and she stopped her arm before it lay a blow to Belle's shoulder.

Belle jumped as she nearly bore the pain of Regina's slap. But to her relief, he saved her again. She looked up at him and whispered, her voice quivering with both exhaustion and excitement. "Master," she began and eyed Regina, "I am to be yours once again?"

He nodded curtly, "I have bargained for your life, slave. You will be coming with me."

Before she could say anything else, he turned to Regina and in a clipped tone said, "Here is the payment." He tossed the apple towards the woman and she caught it. Immediately, she took to examining it, staring at it with so much intent that she did not hear the fiend 's heartless goodbye.

So, Rumpelstiltskin just strode up to Belle and removed the chains which were still clasped around her wrists. Her skin was mottled in big purple welts where the chains had rubbed up against her soft flesh. He forced himself not to notice, lest he get angry and do something he regretted. And so, he carefully helped Belle to her feet. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as her bloodied knees were forced to straighten and bear her weight. She was forced to wrap one arm tightly around Rumpelstiltskin's neck to help keep her upright. He wasted not time in grasping her by the waist and pulling her close. He then summoned the magic to transport them. Just before they disappeared, he felt Belle lean her head against his shoulder in absolute fatigue.

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They appeared in the Dark Castle, more precisely inside of Belle's room. Belle welcomed the comforting sight of her old room. But that was not the first thing she noticed. She noticed that she was still grasping Rumpelstiltskin closely and she quickly removed herself from him, only to nearly collapse in a heap upon the floor. The imp caught her just in time, encircling both hands around her waist.

He helped her walk over to the bed and lifted her small frame to sit upon it. He silently motioned for her to wait there, as if she would go anywhere. He flicked a hand in the air, and the candles became brighter so that he might assess the damage done to her. He walked away from her and into her bathroom, only to reappear moments later with a basin full of water and a towel in his hand.

Rumpelstiltskin came up to her and knelt before her. He made no sound as he dampened the cloth and proceeded to wipe away the blood and dirt from her many wounds. His lips were set in a thin line and Belle knew that he must be thinking about something.

She managed to raise an arm and knock a piece of stray hair behind her ear. She licked her lips before whispering, "You don't have to do this." She tried to move away but his hands kept her in place.

"Let me do it. It's the least I can do."

"You've already done enough," Belle replied, but her voice cracked, "You saved me from that wretched witch. I thought I was as good as dead."

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head and his voice rose to an angry octave. "I could kill her for what she did to you." He forced himself to look up at her and saw her brown eyes staring right back at him. Feeling uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and stood up. He was not going to give into this woman again. The sooner she was gone, the sooner his life could get back to the way it was. But, of course, did he want it to go back to the way it was? He pushed that question from his mind and watched her as she used all of her remaining energy to scoot herself onto the bed and lay her aching head upon the pillows.

"Is it really so bad?" He asked and she looked at him with confusion, "Your wounds?"

"Oh." She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. They might leave some nasty scars but nothing a little rest can repair. I think I will be as good as new in the morning. I'm more tired than anything."

He nodded his head and spoke quickly before he could change his mind. "That is good because you may leave tomorrow if you are well enough."

She looked surprised, "But, I thought-" she licked her lips, "Regina said I was to be your slave again."

"Regina thinks she knows things when she doesn't. I bought you back so that you could be free. My decision still stands. I don't want you here, and you will leave when you are well enough. Which will be tomorrow if what you say about your wounds is true."

"Rumple-" And then something changed for Belle. She realized through her foggy mind that if he didn't want her then she wouldn't stay and provoke him. Besides, she was still enraged at him for how he had behaved towards her. So, she set her lips in a firm line and nodded curtly, "Very well. If that is what you want."

"It is." His voice was hard and emotionless, but she thought that even in the darkening room she saw a look of pain flash across his face. And then, he was gone. That was it. And yet, Belle was too tired, too pained, too broken to care. She just needed sleep. And her eyes closed almost instantly.

_**XxxxXXxxXXxxXXxx**_

_** He saved her from Regina's evil clutches! But everything is far from alright for Rumpelstiltskin and Belle. And Regina may have more up her sleeve than it appears. Perhaps, Rumpelstiltskin should be watching his back. Oh, what's that? You want to know what on earth I am talking about. Well...sorry. Wait for the update. Mwahahah. I'm evil!**_

_** Review, lovelies! You all did fantastic reviewing for my first chapter. Never before have I had such a response for a first chapter that I have uploaded. My email was constantly being filled with notifications all week, and it was a great feeling. Love you all!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_** Hey there, ladies and gents, (if there are any men reading this. I just assume you all are women. But if you are a man, then comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you), I just want to give a really quick introduction because I cannot wait to have you read this chapter!**_

_** First of all, on my last chapter, a faithful reviewer named Tenderness of the Heart reviewed, saying that she did not buy the whole 'Regina trading Belle for a simple apple' thing. She said that she did not think that Regina would ever let Belle go so easily. I just wanted to say thank you for the truthful feedback! It means the world to me! Second, I wanted to tell you that I purposely made it too easy. Regina was meant to look like she was letting Belle go to hastily for a specific reason (which I will not reveal). So, I am happy to know that some people did not buy Regina's actions because it shows that my readers are so much smarter than Rumpelstiltskin. LOL. But, I'm afraid, I can't tell you anymore just yet. Just know that it was deliberate and that a lot of the reasons for Regina's actions will be explained in this chapter. **_

_** So, before I bore you any further (I just wanted to make everything clear to my lovely reviewer whom I appreciate so much), on with the chapter!**_

_** Disclaimer: I own nothing even remotely related to Once Upon A Time. Nothing. Not the script, not the plot, and, unfortunately, not the characters. Sorry. If I did, I would be making a LOT more money than my 16 year old self really is. **_

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__Belle woke up with a start. Sitting straight up in bed, it took her several moments to remember where she was. This room seemed so familiar and yet she couldn't quite place it. Oh, yes. This was her old room in the Dark Castle that Rumpelstiltskin had given her. But how...? How had she been brought here? The last thing she remembered was that she had been in Regina's treacherous clutches. She felt her arms for the scars she knew would be there. And then, as if a flash of light appeared before her eyes, she remembered everything. The endless torture, the rage of the queen, her blood splattered on the floor of the witch's apothecary. She remembered Rumpelstiltskin bargaining for her life, her wrapping her arms around his neck, him washing her wounds, she had fallen asleep.

She blinked twice to clear the fogginess of her mind. It ached. Well, pretty much her whole body ached. Looking down at her clothes she saw that nearly her whole dress was tattered and ruined with dirt and blood. Her hair was limp with sweat. Her wounds were clean but still open and red. A bath would do her good. And then she would dress and find something to satiate the gnawing hunger in her stomach. She could find some housework to do, just like it had been before all the pain. But then, Belle remembered. She remembered the most heartbreaking moment of her entire life. The moment when Rumpelstiltskin had told her to leave for a second time. She had thought that since he had saved her, she would stay. And if she was being completely honest, Belle knew that deep down she wanted to stay with him. But her stubbornness had won again. And she had agreed to obey. After all, they were both still furious with each other and she would never willingly tell him she loved him again. Not after how he had treated her the last time she had spoken those words.

Belle rubbed her face with her hands and let out an exhausted sigh. That sleep had done her good. She felt rested, yet weary. But she knew that she was in a good enough condtion to travel. She would leave today and she would return home. And she would never see Rum again. But she couldn't return home to her father. Absolutely not. Not after...

She didn't even want to think about that. Not now. Not on top of everything else she was feeling and thinking. And so, Belle decided to stop thinking. Stripping to her bare skin, she prepared herself a bath in her bathroom. Climbing into the lavender smelling water, she allowed herself to succumb to the warmth running across her dirty and bruised skin. And she felt calm and relaxed, but not nearly enough. She only allowed herself to remain in the bath for a half hour. It would do no good to intrude on Rumpelstiltskin's hospitality when she had nothing to repay him for his kindness. That was, after all, what they had been reduced to. He was a kind innkeeper giving her a place to stay for the night. That was it. All friendship, all love, all grace had vanished.

_But at least he let me stay...At least he didn't throw me out into the cold. _Belle shook her head. She knew that he would never do that to her. Never. In fact, he would probably let her stay if she begged him long enough. That idea repeated itself in her head and she nearly agreed. But then, she refused to do such a thing. _As much as I want to stay, I can't. I have to leave before he finds out. I have to leave before everything that Regina said would happen does. _And that was that. Belle would leave. Not because she wanted to. Because, if she was being honest, she knew that she could easily forgive him and stay with him. She may be furious for what he had done to her, but all she had to do was look into his chocolate brown eyes filled with so much grief and loneliness and she would be lost. She would stay if only it were that easy. But she could not allow him to be hurt even more than he already was.

Belle went over to the wardrobe and opened its doors. For a split second she wondered if Rumpelstiltskin would be fine with her wearing one of the dresses, but she quickly dismissed the thought. Of course he would. After all, it had been him who had given her this room in the first place. And she very well couldn't wear her destroyed dress, could she? If she was leaving, she might as well wear something that was both comfortable and did not look like some relic from a gruesome war tale.

Pulling out a pale yellow gown, she quickly slid it on over her head and buttoned it up the back. She looked at her appearance in the mirror, turning around in several circles. She had never worn this dress. In fact, that blue one had been her favorite because he had made it for her. But now it was ruined. If only she had the time to ask him to repair it...She straightened the slightly puffed sleeves and the hem of the skirt which reached her calves. Taking a pair of white stockings from a drawer, she pulled them over her milky white legs, blemished with more scars. She would not dwell on it, however, as she buttoned up her shoes. Comfortable brown boots with an elegant shape to them. Lastly, she combed her hair back and tied it in place with a yellow ribbon. And she was ready to go. Well, of course, after she ate something.

Belle went down to the kitchen and made herself something to eat, which she quickly devoured. She had spent too much time here already, and she knew that the longer she stayed the harder it would be to leave. Plus, she had been starving. She then entered the Grand Hall and found, to her disappointment, that he was not there. She hated goodbyes, but she still wished that she could see him one last time. Turning away from his forlorn spinning wheel, she sighed and prepared herself to leave. She turned the handle and, just then, heard a voice from behind her.

"Leaving without a goodbye, dearie?" She forced down a grin and turned back around, fiddling with her hands nervously.

"I didn't think you wanted to say goodbye to me," she said and noticed how absolutely weak and pitiful it sounded. She hated it and forced herself to keep a stern lip.

The imp frowned, "Why ever would you think that?"

Belle shrugged, "You told me to leave. And so I am leaving. A goodbye was hardly necessary."

"I strongly disagree," he argued and then softened his voice, "Besides, I thought you might need this." He snapped his fingers and a brown pack appeared on the table. "This is an enchanted sack. No matter how long you travel, I have seen to it that you will never run out of food, water, or medicine."

"Thank you." Belle gave him a small smile and he blushed in return.

Turning his head away from her, he shrugged nonchalantly. "It is no matter." Eying her and seeing that she did not move, he motioned to the pack. "Are you going to take it?"

"Oh," Belle replied rather stupidly and slowly walked to the table where he was standing. Avoiding looking into his eyes, she grabbed the pack. "Thank you," she mumbled again, keeping her gaze locked on the table, "And goodbye."

"At least give me the dignity of looking at me while you speak."

She winced at the thought but then slowly looked up at him. "Goodbye, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Goodbye..." he sighed, "Belle." Then, his gaze turned stony, refusing to show any emotion.

_This is it..._Belle thought..._Say something. Say something and I won't be able to resist. Say something and I'll stay. Will you say something? No? Alright then. _He had made his choice and so had she.

Not saying anything else, Belle shouldered the pack and turned to leave. She didn't even walk two steps ahead before he called her again.

"Wait," his voice sounded cold. She stopped. "Turn around." She did so and looked at him in confusion. "Come here." Her heart rose. Would he ask her to stay? Belle approached him and he grasped her hand, drawing her even closer. "I—I-" he licked his lips and then looked straight at her, "I feel something."

That's when Belle's heart fell. He knew. How did he know? Who cares? He knew and now everything was ruined. She forced herself to ask, "What do you mean?"

He blinked in confusion. "I don't know." He touched her head but shook himself, not finding anything. Then, he grasped her shoulders and closed his eyes. Next, her waist. Her hips. His hands were shaking as he pressed his palms to her stomach. Almost instantly, his hand shot back and he stepped away from her. He looked at her in disbelief and she looked back with pain. "Belle...?"

"What?" She asked in a shaking voice, "What is wrong?"

"What happened to you?" He pleaded to know, "How has this happened?"

"What?" She pretended not to know what he was talking about.

He approached her and hesitantly placed his hands on her shoulders. "Belle," he began sadly, "You're pregnant."

Belle had tears in her eyes as she nodded. "I know."

"Wha-? How? Who did this to you?" He demanded and his eyes flashed with anger. "Was it one of those sodding guards? Tell me now and I will rip open his throat!"

She shook her head. "No...no, it wasn't any of the guards."

"Then who did this to you?"

She took a deep breath before answering, "Regina did this to me." Rumpelstiltskin looked confused and Belle explained, "She used magic to do this. This baby has no father, Rum. It was conceived of magic."

"But why?" He nearly cried out. "What purpose could she fulfill through this?" But Belle refused to reply. "Belle," he growled dangerously, "Tell me. Tell me now."

"She—she—she-e-e-," Belle stuttered, large tears running down her cheeks. "I didn't want you to know."

"And why the hell not?!"

"Because she wanted you to know!" Belle shouted back in anger, "She wanted you to know, you blasted idiot!"

Rumpelstiltskin saw her eyes flash in rage and he chose to lower his voice. "Why?" His simple question was asked in a soft, calming tone.

Belle too quieted her voice and let her shoulders hang. She brought a hand up to her eyes and wiped away the tears only to allow more to fall. "Because—because," she took a deep breath to steady herself, "Because she said that it would destroy you. She said that she had finally found your weakness and that this would end the Almighty Dark One."

"Belle, how-"

"Let me finish, Rumpelstiltskin," she interrupted and took another deep breath before beginning, "It happened on the second day since I had been captured. She had tortured me before this, and that's what I thought she was going to do. But...no. She brought me up to her spell room. It was dark and smelled like must and old books. She started talking to me. I can't remember what about. And then, she began to chant a spell. Her hands started glowing and I became so frightened. I—I asked her what she was doing but she only laughed. I screamed for help but none came. And then, she placed her glowing hands on my stomach and finished the spell. It hurt so much, Rumple, so much and I screamed. I fell to the ground and went unconscious. When I woke up, I was still in that room. And there was blood all around on the floor. My blood, and she was kneeling over me, smiling and it scared me. That was when she told me that she had planted a child in my stomach. That she had impregnated me. And I didn't know why. But then she told me. You know why, don't you?"

Rumpelstiltskin nodded solemnly. "But go on." He looked at her and his painful expression nearly broke her heart a second time. "Tell me what she said."

"She told me that if I was pregnant that it would destroy you. She said that if you ever found out, you would never let me leave the Dark Castle while bearing a child. You would want to protect me and the baby as best as you could. Regina said that you would never let me travel and live alone while carrying a baby. She scoffed. She said you were too noble in regard to children." Belle sighed with emotional exhaustion. The tears still came and she pulled out a chair and sat down. He remained standing, never taking his eyes off of her. "She said that it would kill you to have to see me every day, not being able to touch me, to have me, to love me. She said that your broken heart would be shattered and you would be utterly destroyed. And then, she would take your place as mightiest of sorcerers and she would rule the land. Rumple..." she said when he kept silent, "I am so so sorry. This is all my fault."

"Belle, don't say that," he argued softly but she shook her head.

"No, it is. I knew what she was planning. That is why I wanted to leave here before you found out. She said that you would be able to sense the presence of a third being."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded. "It is true. But I cannot understand why I did not feel it last night. She must have hidden it from me purposefully."

"She is playing with us," Belle added in desperate breaths, "She meas to use me to destroy you, and I won't have it!"

"Belle," he approached her and tried to grab her arm but she pulled away and stood up.

"No! No matter what has happened between us, no matter all the pain you have put me through, I will still not let her destroy you! Not if I can help it! Don't you see? That is why she let me go so easily! She wanted you to take me because she had a plan all along!"

"Belle, listen to me," he said, stern enough for her to obey. "Regina is crafty and smart. She has planned this well, and she is right. I will never allow you to go out there, unprotected and without a name, when you are bearing a child. It will put you at risk."

She shook her head and a sob tore through her throat. "But it will put you at risk!" She retorted, "Better me than you."

"I am more powerful than Regina thinks. This may not have the same outcome that she hopes for."

Belle observed him and raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She asked in disbelief. Rumpelstiltskin was not willing to lie to her and so he struggled to find an answer. His silence confirmed Belle's thoughts. Regina had been right all along. "I am going," she said in a definitive tone.

"No, you are not."

"Yes, I am!"

He grabbed her arm. "Really?" He scoffed angrily, "And where will you go?"

"I will go home."

"Belle, we both know that you cannot go home. Your father will see that you are pregnant and he will assume that that child is my spawn. He will use all means to destroy it! And that means even harming you! You cannot go home. So, I ask, where will you go?"

"I will find somewhere to go," she replied weakly, not really knowing how to answer.

He shook his head. "No," he answered firmly, "No, you will stay here."

"I will not. What about what Regina wants?"

"We will deal with that! I am stronger than she thinks."

Belle still remained unconvinced and forced him to release her arm. "Goodbye, Rum." She shouldered her pack again and took quick steps to the door. When she reached it, she tried to turn the handle, but heard the lock click and her attempts proved futile. She spun around in rage. "What have you done?!" She spat out, so close that he felt her warmth and could hear her rapid heartbeat.

"Belle-don't make me force you to stay. I don't want to keep you here against your will." His teeth were clenched in subdued anger.

"You would never do such a thing!"

"To keep you safe, I would! I could command you as your master!"

"I am not your servant anymore," she retorted, "You let me go again, remember?"  
He smirked sourly, "But you still promised me forever, dearie. Even if I released you, I could call you back at any time I pleased. We had a deal. Now, don't make me do it."

"I cannot stay, Rumple. Don't make me stay!" She pleaded between desperate sobs.

"Please, Belle," he equally pleaded, "Don't make me."

And then, her sobs stopped and she looked at him with a cold, calculating stare. And he knew that she would not listen to him. The stubborn, pig-headed woman would not let him do what was best for her! Couldn't she see he was just trying to help her!

"Very well," he replied at last in a scathing tone, "As your eternal master, I call upon you to fulfill your oath. You will remain here as our deal specified. You will be my maid here until you have served your term of pregnancy and have the child. And then, when you are well enough, you may leave, and I will release you from your oath for the rest of all eternity. You will never have to serve me again. Until then...welcome to your prison, slave." And then he vanished, leaving Belle alone.

_**XxxxXXxxXXxxXXxx**_

_** Oh! My! Gosh! I betcha you are all shocked, stunned, and screaming into your pillows to hide your surprise. But I'm here to tell you: Go on. Let it all out. And you know the best way to let it out? Review!**_

_**~~~~ Wow... seriously. Ever since I began to plan the sequel, I have been waiting to write this chapter because it was going to be such a twist. The climax to the story came early guys and I hope you enjoyed. Because I think I can guarantee none of you were expecting that! :-D Ah, the joys of being a writer!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**So, I guess there are no men reading this, assumed by the lack of reviews from men. But, ah well. All I have to say is now us women can unite under the banner of love, hope, and happy endings! That sounded way too corny, but hey- I'm hyped up on Orange Cream Soda...soooo...deal with it! ;) **_

_** Before I start this chapter, I just wanted to take some time to do something that I have never done before. Personally thank each and every person who reviewed on the last chapter of **__**An Empty Heart**__**. I figured it would be kind of a popular chapter considering the ha-uge surprise, but I did not expect such an overwhelming response! Normally, I get between 5 and 7 reviews per chapter. Nope. This time, I got 11 ! I am absolutely amazed and so humbled by the response. 28 reviews in three chapters? I am stunned!**_

_** Thanks to all of my regular reviewers. I have now memorized all of your names and smile each and every time you review: TendernessOfTheHeart, jewel415, crazykat77, Rumbelle lover (a.k.a, my sister), Grace5231973, and Stargate533.**_

_** To all of the others who review! You guys mean so much to me too: Hfkgit, Nami2432, hbarienr, belle, and guest.**_

_** And to all those who read this story, favorite this story, follow this story, and tell others about this story. Without you, there probably wouldn't be any story!**_

_** SO, THANKS!**_

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__"How could this possibly be? HOW!" He roared out to the silence as one of his hands latched under a table and easily flipped it over. All of his potions, glass vials containing rainbow-hued elixirs, and all of his large spell tomes flew off. The glass shattered upon the floor, releasing the spells and the noxious fumes into the air. Clouds of pink and red and purple and green flooded the room, and Rumpelstiltskin shielded his eyes from the smoke. He coughed hard, spluttering all the way as he crossed the room to the window. Unlatching the pane, he quickly threw it open and allowed the fresh spring air to enter his room and carry the fumes out of his apothecary.

The beast turned around to face the large mess he had created. With a snap of his fingers, the table had been up-righted, the floor cleaned of the foul potions, and the tomes laid in a neat pile. But he couldn't help but let out a curse as he noticed that he had destroyed dozens of potions in his rage. Some elixirs he had worked on for months at a time. All wasted because he couldn't control his damned temper! What would Belle have said?

Well, quite frankly, he didn't want to think about her at the moment. Rumpelstiltskin believed right then and there that if her name never crossed his ears again he would be just fine. It was all of her fault, all of it! She had been the one to betray him, to give him false promises of love, to run away, to get captured, to allow herself to become pregnant! And now, she had ruined everything! If she had only left, Rumpelstiltskin knew it would be better. If she had left, his heart may have been broken but he wouldn't have to deal day in and day out with seeing her face, hearing her voice, having to...interact...with the woman whom he loved and hated at the same time.

But all the while, there was this little voice in the back of his mind telling him that so many things that he was trying to convince himself were true really weren't. For instance, the imp knew that it was not Belle's fault. But he just needed someone to pin all of the blame on! Why not the sweet princess whom he had stolen away? He groaned as he took to picking up the shards of glass by hand, forfeiting the use of magic. This was all of Regina's fault anyway. He had begun to feel uneasy, known the witch had been far too quiet of late. And now he knew why. She had been brooding in her castle, locked away for months, deliberating and scheming on how best to defeat the mighty Dark One. Obviously, she didn't know about his dagger. And even if she did, he knew she would never use it to kill him. Not even the Evil Queen had the desire to become the Dark One. She wouldn't try to make him kill himself. All of that power would be to waste! And since she still didn't know of his dagger, she still had no way to control him and use his powers as if they were her own. So, naturally, she would have taken this approach. Bring the Dark One to such a state of misery and despair that he would no longer care about his powers or his rule, and she would be free to lead in his stead. And Belle had been the perfect means of achieving this. After all, the girl had practically been handed to the Queen on a silver platter.

"She still doesn't deserve this. Not this," Rumpelstiltskin muttered under his breath. He knew very little about impregnating women with magic, even less about the children born of such a deed. But he still knew that Belle was going to go through so many things that would probably very nearly kill her. A part of him told him that he should tell her so that she would know what to expect. But then, he just shook his head. The less she knew, the better.

Rumpelstiltskin's head hurt and his heart ached. Already, he missed her. Already, he was feeling the need to enter the Grand Hall and seek her out so that he could hear her voice and he would feel as she once made him feel. Completely at peace. Warm. Even loved.

In that instant, he cut himself on a shard of glass. It was very small, little more than a scratch and he healed it with a very simple spell. But it had been enough to waken him from his wishful thinking. No, he could not talk to her. The less he associated with her, the more he could pretend (and possibly, eventually believe) that she was not even here. The Dark One decided, then and there, that he would avoid the maiden of the castle as best as he could.

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"I need to avoid him as best as I can," Belle muttered to herself definitively. She was kneading a loaf of bread in the kitchens. There had been so many other duties she could have done in her newly reestablished job as servant of the Dark Castle. The Grand Hall alone was coated in a thick layer of dust. The cupboards were still left without doors from where Rumpelstiltskin had smashed them in his rage. If he had even cared a bit, he might have tried to uphold all of the work that she had done over the last year. But why would he? After all, he had never done so before. And now, it seemed, that the Castle was right back to where it had been. It had taken only a week for it to become so. She shook her head. So, she could have worked anywhere else but she decided that she would start simple today. No need to overwork when her wounds were still tender and her head was swimming with so many emotions that she was afraid they would explode at any time.

Belle was furious with herself for crying in front of Rumpelstiltskin that morning. He had found out. He WASN'T supposed to find out, and yet he did. She had felt so many feelings flooding into her and the tears had just started falling. She hadn't noticed them then, but now she did and she despised herself for it. She had made herself weak before him. She punched the dough of bread as her face grew red with anger. What surprised her, though, was that this anger was directed at herself. Not at her father, not at Regina, and not at Rumpelstiltskin. It felt so...odd to be angry at one who was not an enemy to her.

But no. Rumpelstiltskin was not an enemy no matter what he did to her. And her father...well, her father wasn't her enemy either. She still wished she could go home. But Rumpelstiltskin had been right. Her father would take one look at her blossoming stomach and be furious. He would say that she had been cursed with the offspring of the devil himself, and he probably would bring harm to her in an attempt to destroy the child.

She absently placed a floured hand over her flattened stomach. She had woken up this morning with hopes that everything she had gone through had been a dream. But she knew, once she saw her wounds, that it was untrue. But then, she had considered that maybe Regina had been lying about the child, that she really wasn't pregnant. That too she knew was wrong. She couldn't quite explain how she knew. After all, she wasn't even showing yet. But still, Belle just _knew. _It was almost as if she could feel the baby within her being knit together. For a moment, her heart grew soft and she let a small smile grace her lips. Then, she abruptly pulled her hand away from her stomach and her lips formed into a thin line. Truth was, she still had mixed feelings about the child. She couldn't bring herself to love or hate it. No, in fact she rather despised it. For one, it was a child born of magic. Did that even make her it's mother? She supposed that it probably did. And second, Rumpelstiltskin was not the father. It _had _no father. Belle didn't know what made her more confused about that assessment: whether it was the fact that the baby could literally have no real father, or that she found herself wanting Rumpelstiltskin to be the father. Of all people! She would want the powerful and destructive Dark One to be the father of her child! Belle had seen the things he had done, had witnessed him doing them. No child, no matter how much she resented it, should have to have a father like that. But she knew inwardly that he wasn't like that. Even though she had left him, he had still remained the way he was. He had remained kind and compassionate. She could see it in his eyes that were no longer hard, but soft. She had left and he had remembered everything that she had taught him. But now...Belle sighed. He was just a shadow of himself. She knew she had hurt him by coming back here. And he had found out so easily that she was with child. It had spoiled everything.

The farther she stayed away from the Dark one, the better. The less pain it would cause her and the less heartbreak it would him. She would not be responsible for the destruction of the Dark One...no matter what Regina had planned. And that was why Belle decided she would avoid Rumpelstiltskin as best as she could.

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Two people desperately in love. Two people determined to never admit it. A beauty and a beast doomed to be broken. A beast and a beauty with hearts set on seeing each other as little as possible. But they soon began to realize how impossible that really would be. Perhaps, during the day they would be able to avoid each other. But it was still Belle's duty to serve her master his meals. She had laid out lunch for him in the Grand Hall, not waiting to see if he would come and fetch it. She knew he did, though, because when she went back two hours later, the tray bearing his meal was gone.

Supper, unfortunately, could not be dealt with in the same manner. He wouldn't simply just take his meal and go. He was civilized enough to eat his meal at the dining table like any other man of high status. Belle knew this, and why should now be any different? She hoped to all that was right and good that she would just be able to leave his meal and then come back and retrieve it. But, it was not to be. Of course, he would be sitting there, just waiting for her to serve him.

Rumpelstiltskin had debated the issue of whether or not to come down to supper. He had very nearly convinced himself to just do as he had done for lunch and to avoid her. But...then again he didn't want to be seen as a coward. If he continually avoided her, then Belle would know that Regina's plan was a good one, one that could work. She would learn that she was his impractical weakness. That just wouldn't do. And so, with a mind full of argument and debate, he took a very long time to enter the Grand Hall. When he did, he took a seat where he usually did, at the head of the table, and waited for her to come and serve him his meal.

Belle opened the door to the Grand Hall just a crack and felt her heart sink as she saw him sitting there. His back was straight against the chair. He looked rigid and tense. How she wished she could just go and calm him. She had once, just before Robin Hood had come, massaged his shoulders to relieve all of the pent-up tension. She had no doubt that all of it had been replaced ten-fold since she had left and then returned. The tray was in her hands, the silver gently slipping in her sweating grasp. Belle assumed he had probably already heard her open the door. And she _was _his servant. This was a part of her job. So, taking a deep but silent breath, she opened the door and walked into the room.

He counted her footsteps to the table. They rang through the stifling silence. Neither made a sound as she approached him and placed the tray of steaming hot food before him. He watched her out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was purposefully avoiding his gaze; in fact, she seemed to be working so hard at it that she had bit her bottom lip in concentration. He looked down at the dinner before him. A simple meal. Bread-which he knew she had baked this morning-, roasted chicken, and some vegetables. Taking his goblet in her hand, she poured a glass full of red wine for him to drink. And then, she turned to walk away.

"Where are you going, Belle?" He finally asked her as she neared the door to exit the room.

His voice was quiet, not unkind, but not soft either. It was just...Belle didn't know if she was glad or upset that he had chosen to speak. After all, the last time they had spoken had been that morning, and neither the topic nor the result had been pleasant for either. She blinked and turned around. "I was going to take my supper in the kitchen, master," she saw him flinch at the impersonal title she had chosen to use, "As a servant should." She feigned submission but her eyes were cold and calculating as she stared back at him.

He shook his head. "You never ate in the kitchen when you first came. I had you eat in here and that still has not changed. Now fetch a plate and come and sit."

"I don't think I shall, master," Belle dared to refuse.

He choked on his wine in shock. "Excuse me?" He asked as he dabbed his lips with a linen cloth. "I believe I commanded you to do so."

"And what will you do if I don't, master?" She retorted bitterly. When he did not answer, partially from the surprise of her so blatantly disobeying him, she nodded her head. "Enjoy your meal." And then she turned around and left the room.

Rumpelstiltskin was dumbfounded as he took a smile bite of chicken. She was his maid and yet she disregarded his command. He was her master and he had let her! And the way she had called him 'master'...it had cut through like a knife. He had so delighted in the way she used to say his name. But now...things were different. That much he knew. Rumpelstiltskin looked to his right where his maiden would have taken her seat to eat with him. It was empty and dull. Turning back to his platter, he ate the rest of his meal in silence.

Meanwhile, Belle had opened and closed the door behind her. She was leaning against it, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. What on earth could have given her the strength to stand up to him like that? To refuse to dine with her master? Well, she had known whatever she did, he would never harm her. And, she had not wanted to eat with him. In fact, that was the LAST thing she wanted to do. The silence would have been nearly unbearable.

His voice rang in her ears as she thought about what he had said. _"Where are you going, Belle?" _He had still called her by her real name. He had not addressed her as 'slave' or as 'dearie'. His voice had softened considerably as he had addressed her by the name she had so often told him to call her. And she had returned it by calling him 'master'. She had seen him flinch, could practically see the pain it had brought him. But she didn't care. She was still his slave and he was her slaver. She would treat him as such. Deep inside, however, Belle knew that she was not his slave, or even his maid. Sure, she cleaned and cooked and mended for him, but he had allowed her the decision to eat alone in the kitchen. He had let her go to do as she wished. Belle was free in will. But she was trapped in body, and she hated it.

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_** So, in this chapter I just really wanted to give Rumpelstiltskin and Belle's thoughts about their current predicament. I have never been through such an ordeal so I am basing their feelings solely on how I think I would feel if I was in such a situation. Also, I am trying to stay as within character as I possible can. I love these two so much! They are so fun to write and they are just such complicated characters! I hope I have done well.**_


	5. Chapter 5

It feels like a wound that won't stop bleeding,  
Like it's your last breath you're about to take,  
And it feels like your soul's watching,  
And all you can do is pray you wake.

When love dies,  
It's like everything slows down to a stop  
The tears that came rolling down your cheeks  
Are taking ages to drop

Source: poem/when-love-dies#ixzz34KpZb2JJ  
Family Friend Poems

It feels like a wound that won't stop bleeding,  
Like it's your last breath you're about to take,  
And it feels like your soul's watching,  
And all you can do is pray you wake.

When love dies,  
It's like everything slows down to a stop  
The tears that came rolling down your cheeks  
Are taking ages to drop

Source: poem/when-love-dies#ixzz34KpZb2JJ  
Family Friend Poems

_** Thank you, lovelies, for the wonderful reviews! Right now, I'm experiencing a mild case of writer's block for upcoming scenes. When I was writing Almost Lover I asked you guys to review telling me what scenes I should write. I did not use all of them in that book, though, because I knew I wanted to stick some of them in this sequel. So, many of you will be finding your suggested scenes in this second tale. To all of the rest of you, are there any other scenes that you would like me to write and put in this story? Please review and let me know!**_

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__It was dark now, and as such the castle had become shrouded in the mysterious aura that Belle had first hated upon coming to the Dark Castle. But now, now she was used to it and it didn't bother her one bit. She held a small candle in her hand that provided enough light for her to see where she was going.

She was climbing the stairs to the library, and when she entered a small smile graced her lips. She had missed this room since she had been gone. And for the first time since she had been brought back to the Dark Castle, she was visiting her beloved library. As Belle circled the room, admiring the many shelves of books, her mind floated back to the day Rumpelstiltskin had given her the extravagant gift that she had loved from the very moment she had seen it.

_-It is merely another room for you to clean-_

_ -You did this for me?-_

_ -You're not who I thought you were...and I'm glad-_

Belle's breath hitched as she heard those last words floating around in her head. It seemed that they followed her everywhere, every moment of the day now, trying to desperately convince her that they were true. It was just...now, after everything that had happened, she really questioned whether they were true or not. Was Rumpelstiltskin still the man she had thought he was? The man she had fallen in love with?

She let her trivial thoughts float away as she found a specific book that she had not read yet. It was a rather thin, dark blue book with gold entwined upon the binding. The cover read _A Book of Poems and Short Tales. _She had never been much for reading poems, preferring the large novels that gave her so much more for the imagination. But it seemed a simple enough read and something that she could finish by the end of the night. And so, she took it's delicate form into her hands and held it to her chest as she walked over to the unlit hearth.

It amazed her how the torches all about the room remained lit but the fire was not. It had always been when she had been there, but she supposed Rumpelstiltskin had put an end to it when she had left and had never restarted it. And because the hearth was of magic, there was nothing to start a fire in the room. She blew out a frustrated sigh.

She could just go and read in her room but...something about being in her room alone when trying not to sleep made her uneasy. Perhaps it was because it was such a large room, filled with many crevices and shadows. It was strange. Her bedroom was the only room she felt any trace of fear in in the Dark Castle during the evening time. Her library did not frighten her, nor did traipsing the halls of the castle. She could go to the kitchen but there was no crackling hearth to read in front of. Of course, she knew, that there was only hearth that was probably lit and warm and it was in – the Grand Hall.

Belle let out a small groan as she realized she had already started descending the stairs. She did love to read before a crackling hearth, but did she really love it so much as to enter the Grand Hall? She knew that he was probably there, spinning on his large wheel, trying to forget so much of what had happened between them. Was she really brave enough? She chuckled slightly. This was her...HER...asking if SHE was brave enough. The very woman who had stood up to the Dark One more times than she had dared to count. With that, her mind seemed made up and her feet led her to the Grand Hall.

She stopped for a moment right outside the door and she could hear the slight squeaking of the wheel, just as she had expected. She found the sound to be a comfort, just as it had been before. A small smile crept onto her lips before it quickly fell. Could she? Could she really open the door and enter that room after the way she had so coldly treated him at supper? Well, she supposed she could. Belle quickly turned the handle before she could change her mind and let the door creak open.

For a brief moment, she just stood in the doorway watching him. He seemed deep in thought, his eyes firmly focused on the wheel, his lips in a thin grimace. He looked to be in pain and it made Belle's heart swell with pity. She desired to rush over there and embrace him and kiss all of his pain away. With one kiss, she knew it would happen. He would transform and change back into a man again. But she knew that he would never forgive her if she did such a thing.

He must have heard her faint breaths, for suddenly he startled from his thoughts, turning his head to look at the figure in the doorway. Rumpelstiltskin raised his eyebrow and asked, "Is there anything you require, dearie?"

Belle shook her head and stepped forward into the room. "No, master. I merely came to read my book, if you don't mind."

He shook his head. "As long as it isn't another one of your romances..." he tittered impishly and Belle fought hard to hide her grin. He had always hated it when she had read her romance novels, or so he had tried to convince her. She thought that he had rather liked it when she had read aloud to him, no matter what the subject had been.

"Just light reading tonight. I found this book on poems." She held up the blue tome and he nodded slightly.

"Very well then." He flicked a hand towards the fireplace and then returned to spinning.

Saying nothing else, Belle walked over to the fireplace and sat in his extravagantly large arm chair. It was so large that she easily sunk into it. Curling her legs up underneath her, she faced the fire glow and opened the book to the first page. Her mind instantly began to read the words, as if she had been deprived of reading for such a very long time. She quickly read through the first poem and the second and the third, when-

"Will you not read aloud?" The fiend let slip out before he had even known what he had been saying. Sure, he had been thinking it. The spinning had been idly done as his thoughts had focused on her, sitting less than ten feet away, reading, and he couldn't help but wish that she would read to him. As it it had used to be. His question startled her, he could hear her breath hitch in her throat. She shifted in her chair to look at him, it seemed she was observing him.

"You would like me to read, master?"

He ignored the informal term again and nodded slightly. "It gives me something other than this creaky wheel to listen to." It was a poor excuse, he knew, but he hoped that she was convinced by it. He could see by her expression that she was not. Belle had always been able to read him like one of her books.

She turned the page to the fourth chapter in the book, the fourth poem, and slowly her soft voice echoed through the room. Rumpelstiltskin's spinning stopped as he listened to her begin. He had never been much for poems but, with Belle reading them, it seemed as if was enchanted.

_When love dies, _

_ It ceases to exist._

_ And the flame that used to be_

_ Ceases to persist_

_It feels like a wound that won't stop bleeding,  
Like it's your last breath you're about to take,  
And it feels like your soul's watching,  
And all you can do is pray you wake._

When love dies,  
It's like everything slows down to a stop  
The tears that came rolling down your cheeks  
Are taking ages to drop

_ When love died..._

Belle suddenly stopped reading as her emotions could no longer handle it. With small tear running down her cheeks she turned in her chair to face Rumpelstiltskin. The light from the fire was behind her and so her own appearance was darkened. She was glad so that he could not see her cry.

"I—I'm sorry," she stuttered softly.

"Why did you stop?" He asked, but she could hear the pain in his voice. She secretly wondered if the poem had struck a chord with him as it had her.

"It's no matter," she stood up quickly, "But I think I will retire for the night." She shut the book and turned to walk away.

His voice stopped her. "Wait. Turn around." He looked at her curiously as she did so. Then, he motioned with his hands. "Come here into the light."

Belle hesitated. She really needed to get to her room. She was in no state to talk to Rumpelstiltskin, and she certainly didn't want him to see her like this. But, nevertheless, she found her body obeying him against her will. She approached him until she was only a foot away from him.

He frowned, "Why are you crying, dearie?"

She shook her head and frantically wiped at the tears. "It is nothing. I promise."

"No one makes better oaths than I, Belle," he replied softly, "I can see through any lie." He walked up to her and raised one finger to stroke her cheek, wiping one of the tears away. Belle should have moved away then. She should not have allowed him to touch her so intimately, so tenderly, but she felt herself being drawn to him as she had so many times before. She could have screamed at herself when she realized that she was even melting into his touch.

She looked at him and her voice was firm. "Can you honestly say that you do not know why I'm crying?"

"You were reading," he answered, confused as to the direction of the conversation.

"Yes, the, erm, the book," she looked down at the tome in her hands, "I couldn't read anymore. Not after what the poem was about."

"Ah, I see," Rumpelstiltskin said simply.

"Did it honestly not affect you at all?" Belle asked and she knew she must sound so pathetic. She was angry at herself for staying this long in his company, for broaching conversation when she had sworn to only talk to him when it was absolutely necessary. Now, she was as putty in his hand. She was not in the proper emotional state for this. The tears still continued to fall.

In an instant, he dropped his finger from her cheek and placed his hands behind his back. He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "You know it did," Rumpelstiltskin nodded. He stared at her, his eyes were soft and gentle.

And all within one moment, Belle lost herself, forgot where she was, who she was with, her feelings, and her conflicting emotions. "Rum-" she whimpered before quickly wrapping her arms as tightly as she could around his neck. The imp was at a loss of what to do before he snugly placed his arms around her waist.

Belle's nose burrowed into his neck, drinking in the magical smell of the fiend. It was comforting to feel his strong arms wrapped around her, to hear his short breaths, to smell his scent. "I'm not alright," she admitted in a deathly quiet whisper, "I'm not alright."

"I know, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin closed his eyes and just reveled in the feeling of Belle in his arms, "Neither am I." Those three words spilled from his lips, but he didn't mind. They seemed the right thing to say at the moment, even if he had vowed never to admit such a thing to anyone, especially to her.

"What are we going to do?" She whimpered into his leather-clad shoulder as she burrowed deeper into his comforting arms.

He shook his head against her hair. "I do not know."

"I must leave. Will you let me leave?" Belle said abruptly and Rumpelstiltskin quickly drew her away, holding her by the shoulders and staring at her hard.

"No," he replied firmly, "Never."

"Please," Belle pleaded, "You see what is happening. Regina's plan is working, and I've only been here for a day! Already she is destroying both of us."

He shook his head. "I don't care. You will not leave while you're pregnant!"

"We've talked about this before," Belle replied as patiently as she could, "And I know I can take care of myself."

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. "I have no doubt you could, Belle. But..." he released her and turned his back to her. Sighing, he continued, "You do not understand. I abandoned a child once. I abandoned him to a world far away from here. And that child...that child was my son, my Baelfire. I cannot do that again, Belle. Please do not ask me to do that again."

Belle's heart lurked. Even though she could not see the pain in his eyes, she could hear it in his voice. "I'm sorry, Rumpelstiltskin. But I can't live like this, and I can certainly not see you suffer. Don't ask me to stand by and watch you suffer."

"There is no other way, Belle. You are not leaving, even if it does destroy me as Regina hopes."

"Please." Belle demanded impatiently.

"No!"

"Why not?!  
"Because I care more about you than I do about myself at the moment!" He bellowed out as he turned around to face her. He looked menacing in the fire's glow. At least...he would've to anyone else except Belle. She just saw...Rumpelstiltskin in all of his angry glory. But she knew he wasn't angry at her. He was just frustrated.

Stepping closer towards him, she cautiously wrapped her arms around him again. This time, he seemed to hold her even tighter, as if she were his anchor. His breathing was rough. "Regina has found my weakness, Belle. Now I will deal with the consequences."

"Then, we will deal with them together, alright?"

He chuckled into her hair. "Alright."

Belle closed her eyes and let herself melt into his arms. It seemed like they stood there for all of eternity. Before the fire glow, it seemed the beauty and the beast had finally settled their accord.

_**XxxxXXxxXXxxXXxx**_

_** Hope you liked it! Sorry for the lack of fluff, but I'm afraid it will be awhile until we see much of that. They have to mend their relationship before anything like that can happen.**_

_** The poem is not mine. It can be found at poem/when-love-dies.**_

_** Love all of ya! Have a great rest of your week! Also, I have a YouTube channel under the same name as my user-name. Visit there if you want to see some different fan-made videos for Rumbelle. Just thought you might be interested. They're not the best, but...I suppose they're entertaining. :) Bye!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_** Sorry, I'm a week late. I've had people reviewing, telling me to upload soon. But I was on vacation last week, and then I've been trying to catch up on school and other stories I've been neglecting. I know...you don't really care about the excuses do you? Ah, well then...on with this chapter! (I have no idea what I'm gonna write about today, so I'm just winging it, making it up as I go along).**_

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__Belle awoke the following morning feeling much better than the night before. For one, she and Rumpelstiltskin had finally made amends! Of course, she knew very well, that that didn't mean that their friendship was back to the way it had been before. But, at the very least, they weren't angry at each other anymore. Second, she had somewhat come to terms with being trapped within the castle. She still didn't want to be here, not with the both of them being broken by her constant presence, but she now knew why Rumpelstiltskin did not want her and the baby inside of her to leave. He was just being protective. He just wanted to ensure that she and the child were taken care of. That, above anything else, made her smile largely. He cared enough about the both of them, even though the child was not yet even a bump within her stomach, to keep them here. She knew, now, that he had only been doing what he thought was best when he had ordered her as her master to stay here. She still hated that he had had to use that kind of authority to trap her here, but she knew that she would never have obeyed him otherwise. He had done what he had seen as necessary. After all, he hadn't wanted to do it, he had pleaded with her not to make him do it. And she had been so stubborn that he had had no choice in the matter. There was only one thing that she had that was equal to her bravery, and that was her will-power.

Secretly, she was glad to be staying. She _had _wanted to stay all along. But, then, once again, her damned stubbornness had gotten in the way. She had nearly left again. Belle knew now that that would have been the biggest mistake of her life. She needed Rumpelstiltskin just as much as he needed her, even if he wouldn't admit it. If she had left, she would be somewhere, all alone, and she would be missing him terribly. Damn Regina. Damn her plans. Damn the consequences. Surely, her and Rumpelstiltskin could be rational about all of this. Surely, they could keep their heads screwed on tight enough to keep from falling into Regina's deathly traps. They were both strong enough to deal with this. Rumpelstiltskin seemed to think so, and though Belle somewhat doubted the truth of that, she decided to trust him and to not worry. She was here now, so why would she worry?

She got dressed in a simple, peasant-style pink dress, with white and gold brocade up the front. Her sleeves went down to her elbows and were tied with gold thread. It was a simple dress, calf-length. She chose to pull all of her hair over one shoulder and tied it there with a ribbon. Lastly, she wrapped a small, crisp white apron around her waist and smoothed it down. She appraised her appearance in the mirror. How did she look? Was she pretty enough? She twirled a curl absently as she shook her head and blushed. Why should she care anyway? It was not as if she was trying to impress _him, _was she?

XxxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Belle went downstairs and prepared breakfast. She stoked the fire to life and fried up eggs and bacon. She boiled water and seeped the tea. When finished, she loaded it all onto a tray and took it into the Grand Hall. "Good morning..." she said cheerily, but her smile faltered when she saw that the imp was nowhere to be seen. Normally, in days past, he had always been either spinning at his wheel or sitting at the table waiting for her to serve him. Now, he was nowhere to be seen. Belle bit her lip as she became increasingly more worried. What if last night had all been a mistake? What if she had been too forward with him? What if he was scared and keeping a proper distance from her? Belle shook her head. Afraid? The Dark One? Hardly not. But, then, there had to be a reason he was missing from breakfast. She walked over to the table and placed the tray down upon it. She debated whether or not to just leave it there. She _had _made enough for the both of them. He had said, after all, that she should eat with him. Well, she might as well eat. She couldn't just sit here and wait for him, she had chores to get to this morning.

Sitting down in her usual seat, she served herself her breakfast and idly picked at the food, thoughts still upon the strange imp who had not come down to breakfast, not even to enjoy his beloved cup of tea. At long last, Belle decided it would be best not to think of him at all, and so she began to eat her breakfast in silence. It was good. The eggs were buttery, the bacon crispy. He sure was missing out on a delightful meal, and she smirked. Serves him right for being late.

Belle dropped her fork and turned around abruptly when the hairs on her neck began to prickle. It felt as if someone was staring at the back of her head, but when she turned around, there was no one to be seen. Frowning, Belle turned back around, figuring that it was only her imagination, but unease rested in her mind. She clenched her knife just a bit tighter.

Just then, the fork which she had laid on her plate lifted itself off of the china and began to turn around in circles, completely levitated off of the table. She stared in amazement as the fork danced around her, weaving its way over her head and back around the plate. Suddenly, it took a piece of egg in its prongs and held it up to her mouth to eat. Belle stared at it suspiciously before opening her mouth to accept the food. But just before she could, the fork moved out of reach and Belle's teeth clamped down on nothing. She watched with curiosity as the fork continued to dance, the piece of egg still upon it, as if it was mocking her. She futily tried to grab it, but it floated out of reach. She huffed as she watched it.

Then, her knife began to do the same thing, twirling about, as if dancing with the fork. Both were so close, turning in small circles, that she nearly thought the cutlery_ were_ dancing. She rubbed her eyes. She must truly be going mad to think such a thing. The knife and fork went to work, diligently cutting up the remainder of her breakfast. And then, one by one, the pieces of food picked themselves up and floated directly over to Rumpelstiltskin's steaming plate of food. There they dropped down, leaving a huge mass of egg and bacon upon his plate. That was when Belle smirked and turned around, but still no one was there.

"I know you're there," she said teasingly, "You sneaky little imp." Turning back around, she had enough time to see that her tea cup was now floating in the air and beginning to pour her tea into his chipped cup. She grunted as she reached for the tea cup and successfully managed to grab onto it. "Ha!" She cried out to the silence. But then, the tea cup began to fight back, splashing tea in every direction. She laughed outright as she found it absolutely comical that she was having a battle with a tea cup...and that she was losing. "Rum!" She screamed out between grunts and giggles, "Rumpelstiltskin, stop it!"  
It was silent a moment longer before a reply came. "I didn't here the magic word, dearie. Your manners have grown lax."

She huffed. "Rumpelstiltskin...please!" And then, everything stopped. The cutlery stopped twirling and the tea cup stopped its battle. Belle blinked to notice that there was tea all across the carpet and all over her dress. She jumped as Rumpelstiltskin squealed from behind her. She turned around and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "Just what do you think you were doing?" She scolded, but her eyes were twinkling with mirth.

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes shone just as brightly, "Just having a bit of amusement, dearie. Didn't you think it was fun?"

"Fun?" Belle echoed, her tone light, for how could she be angry at him when he looked so happy? "You think it's funny that my dress is now completely ruined? And just look at this carpet!" She spread her arms out so that he could survey the mess he had caused.

He just laughed all the more. "Well, then, I can fix the floor easily." He waved a hand and the tea was scrubbed away. "As for the dress, " he surveyed her and then twirled a finger around, "I rather missed this one."

Belle looked down and gasped. She was in her old blue one, fully restored and mended. It looked and felt as if it was brand new, but it was her same old blue dress. The one he had first made for her nearly a whole year ago. The pink dress had been pretty, she would admit. But this one...this one felt like it was meant for her. After all, it had been _made _for her. She felt, when she wore it, as if she was in her own skin. This dress made her feel comforted and safe, as if it had some magical entities of its own. All Belle could do was look up at the fiend and grin. "Thank you," she whispered in heart-felt gratitude.

He shrugged but seemed pleased that he had made her happy. "Like I said: I had missed this one. It suits you well."

"You would know. You made it for me." Belle stared at him and he stared right back. She felt heat flooding her cheeks but she did not look away.

Rumpelstiltskin then cleared his throat and motioned to the table. "Shall we?" He pulled out her chair and allowed her to sit down. He then took a seat to her left and magicked all of the food that he had transferred to his plate back to hers.

"You really are trouble, aren't you?" Belle teased.

"You know it, dearie," he tittered back as he took a bite of egg, and she watched as he seemed to savor each and every bite after that.

She just giggled as she watched him. "What ever shall I do with you?" _What ever, indeed?_

_**XxxxXXxxXXxxXXxx**_

_** Just a little bit of light reading for you today, and it's kinda short. But I was pressed for time. Actually, I have a little confession to make. I got stuck watching Doctor Who fan videos on YouTube. Yes, I know, I know. No excuse, right? Well, I love me some Doctor Who.**_

_** Anyway, hope it amused you and made you laugh. Oh, Rumpelstiltskin's antics can certainly be priceless. :)**_

_** Also, I am requesting that if any of you have future ideas for this story, certain scenes that you would like me to write or such, then please review and let me know. Thanks!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_** I'm sorry that I am two weeks and two days late. Last week was really busy and I was out with some friends. This Tuesday, we had just gotten home from a vacation a couple days previous. I was tired and trying to get back into the swing of things. I am super duper sorry, everyone. I hope this chapter makes up for it :)**_

_** Also, I am putting a collaboration account together with the lovely and talented lightinside, whom I have only known for a month but who has quickly become one of my closest friends. Our penname is BeautywithintheBeasts. We currently have no stories up, and won't for another few months, due to our busyness. But we've got an idea that we can't wait to share. I look forward to seeing you all there! I'll let you know when the first chapter is up!**_

_** Without further ado, enjoy! Also, I could really use ideas for future chapters. I suppose I really should plan a head a bit more, but I prefer to just let my imagination flow. Well, I fear that I will be hitting some dry ground soon and that means writer's block. So, please help me out! Thanks!**_

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__"Do you enjoy having me here, Rumpelstiltskin?" Belle asked, placing her book down onto her lap. She raised her head to look at him. He seemed to be thinking about the question.

He smiled slightly, "Very much, dearie, or at least I would if you wouldn't ask such troublesome questions." He peered at me through the corner of his eye and I could see the faint amusement written on his face. I smirked at his quip.

"If I am so troublesome, then why do you continue to put up with me?"

Rumpelstiltskin turned away from where he had been standing, peering out the window. His arms were folded behind his back as he looked straight at Belle. "Because it's worth it."

"You truly think so?" Belle continued to inquire, feeling a rosy blush forming on her neck.

The imp watched as pink crept up the beauty's cheeks. To know that he could still have such an effect on her made his heart leap within him. He remained serious as he gave a quick nod of the head. "Do you think me to be a liar, Belle?"

She shook her head. Her brown curls went flying with the motion. "Of course not. You know that. I was just asking."

"Why do you wish to know?" He saw her shrug and he chuckled. "Well, calm your fears. You are safe here."

Belle smiled at him and watched as he turned back around to stare out of the library's window. That was where they were. Belle was sitting in the armchair by the fire, trying desperately to concentrate on her book, but she found herself watching the imp more than anything else. Her thoughts were constantly being diverted from the fanciful pages, and finally, upon realizing that she had read the same paragraph at least three times over, she had closed it to watch him instead. She wondered what he was thinking about. He was staring out the window, but she could tell that his mind was a million miles away, not even remotely paying attention to the beauty of nature.

She _was _safe here, and Belle knew it. It had been nearly a week since she had returned, and nearly a week since they had made amends. Little by little, their relationship was becoming stronger. Rumpelstiltskin was her dearest friend, and she his, but both were still distracted by the knowledge that they could not cross the border of being just friends. Belle was adamant against being hurt again, and Rumpelstiltskin was loathe to give up his powers for love. And so, they continued to pretend to each other, to pretend that they were best of friends and perfectly content. For Rumpelstiltskin, he found the temptation to touch her and to hold her close nearly irresistible. For Belle, she found it nearly impossible to be alone, wanting to be with him as much as she possibly could. When she was with him, the pain of loneliness was not as strong, and she could imagine for just one moment that her and he had had their happy ending. Then, she would open her eyes and see the grinning imp and know it was not so. She would silently curse Regina and fate. What good was love if you couldn't show it? If you couldn't be with the one you loved? It seemed absolutely foolish to her.

Looking down at the folds of her dress, her eyes trailed up to her still flat stomach. Her fingernails gently grazed the fabric covering her skin where she knew the child was being carefully knit together within her. Since her stomach was still flat, she could still hardly believe that a baby was growing inside of her. But Rumpelstiltskin _had _sensed it. He wouldn't lie to her. She sighed as her fingertips continued to caress her abdomen.

"Thinking again, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin called to her, noticing the way she was rubbing her stomach. It was something that she had taken to already, even before a bump had begun to appear. He frowned. That was both good and bad. It meant that she was bonding with the child at such an early stage, but it also meant that the child and her would be extremely close. He couldn't explain why this bothered him so much, but it was like a nagging sensation in his brain that would grow stronger each time he saw her stroke her stomach. Perhaps it was because the baby was conceived of magic, or perhaps it was because Regina was involved, and when Regina was involved, no good could come of anything.

Belle stirred from her deep thought and peered over at him from underneath her dark lashes. "I suppose. Do I do it often?" She looked back down at her stomach. Rumpelstiltskin knew instantly that she was not asking about whether or not she thought a lot, which was true anyway.

He smirked. "Always. You are always stroking your belly, just as you are now."

She shrugged and then sighed again. "I suppose I just- I don't know."

"The child is a part of you, Belle. It is no surprise that you are bonding with it."

Belle removed her hands from her stomach and crossed her arms over her chest, slouching in the armchair. She was frowning.

"What is wrong?" Rumpelstiltskin asked as he approached her and cautiously sat on the arm of the chair, shifting so that he was somewhat facing her, looking down upon her.

"I don't know. I suppose this baby is a remembrance of what Regina did to me." Rumpelstiltskin grit his teeth as his anger began to return and then it quickly dissipated as Belle continued. "Besides, it's not- I did not-" She blushed fiercely.

"What?"

Belle bit her lip. "It has no father. Children are meant to be the products of a man and a woman who love each other deeply. This child—I guess I mean, I didn't, well, I didn't love a man properly to conceive it. Rumpelstiltskin," she groaned, "Don't laugh at me!"

It was true. He was chuckling. And smirking. "I'm sorry, dearie, just _what_ were you trying to say?" He teased and watched as she blushed in her embarrassment. She slapped him hard on the shoulder and his smile became a serious line, though his eyes still twinkled with mischief. "But I understand. The baby has no father, just magic. I suppose that poses a problem."

"What problem?" Belle looked at him, curiosity and fear in her eyes. Then, Rumpelstiltskin knew he had said the wrong thing and frowned. Belle's eyes became thin slits as she glared at him. "What are you not telling me, Rumpelstiltskin?" She shifted so that she could face him. He shook his head. It hadn't been his plan to tell her so soon. No need to make her worry just yet. But he could see the determination in her face and he groaned. "Rum, I deserve to know. Born of magic or not, I'm this baby's mother!"

"It's just, Belle...magic is a tricky thing, but creating a baby from magic is even more dangerous."

"Why?" Belle demanded to know.

He shook his head. "You need to understand that whereas I am proficient in magic, more proficient than anyone else, very little is known about conceiving a child through magic. It has not been done often because of the dangers."

"What dangers?!" He could tell she was near panicking now. Her shoulders were tense and her back was rigid.

He laid a hand on her shoulder to calm her. It seemed to work just a bit as he sighed and prepared to tell her his thoughts. "When a baby is made through magic, it belongs to the sorcerer who created it."

"Regina?" Belle's eyes were wide. "She owns my baby?"

Rumpelstiltskin nodded his head. "Right now, yes. She can do whatever she wishes with the fetus. Babies born of magic are very different. You probably won't even carry it for the full nine month term. Most babies of magic are created within the womb and are ready to be born within half of a regular woman's pregnancy. It varies, of course but-"

"So, I won't even be pregnant for nine months?" He shook his head, "Why didn't you tell me this?!"

"Because I didn't want to worry you just yet."

"Worry me? What else aren't you telling me, Rum?"

He sighed and rubbed a hand across his eyes. "As long as that baby is within the womb, Regina has complete control over its growth."

Belle gasped. "So, I could have the baby next week if she chose to do so?!"

"No," Rumpelstiltskin replied and Belle let out a sigh of relief, "There are still rules to magic. Regina cannot accelerate the growth past four and a half months. Otherwise, the baby would be put in great risk and the amount of magic used to make it grow would end up killing it."

"So," Belle licked her lips and her voice trembled, "If she controls it, she could just squeeze the life out of it and kill it, then?"

He nodded but quickly added, "But she won't because it would ruin her plan to destroy us. She wants you to stay here as long as possible, so that we can grow close again and then you leave and my heart breaks, remember? That won't work if the baby comes really early."

"So, it could come anytime between four and a half and nine months?" Belle asked, worried.

"I'm afraid so. There will be no telling when Regina will choose to start the birth pains. But once the baby is born, Regina's control over the child snaps. The baby will be yours and no one else's." Belle's head fell into her hands and she let out a shaky breath. "Are you alright?" Rumpelstiltskin gently rubbed her shoulder in comfort. When she looked up, she seemed composed, though a little pale.

"I'm fine, I promise. It's just a lot to take in. Is the baby healthy though, do you think?"

He smiled. "I can find out if you would like?" Belle nodded and he cautiously extended his hands out to touch her stomach. As he did, he closed his eyes, but Belle could see his smile growing. The imp pulled away and chuckled. "It's a bit early to tell, but it certainly is a healthy young baby. Probably looks just like a worm right about now, but since you know about the whole acceleration thing, I would say it will begin to form its body within the next couple of days. You will be showing a little by then." Belle couldn't help but grin through all of the shock and surprise of the day.

"And," she smirked as she looked at him, winking, "Can you tell the gender of the child yet?"

He smirked in return and chuckled. "Wouldn't you like it to be a secret?" Belle shook her head and pouted, soliciting a large grin from the imp. "Well, there are no physical signs yet about whether it is a boy or a girl-"

"Do you know what it is?" She asked impatiently.

"Yes, I do," Rumpelstiltskin nodded, amused, "I can feel what it is already. I can feel its mind and its heartbeat."

"Then what is it?" She asked, her voice brimming with excitement.

"You know," the fiend looked at his fingernails in mock boredom, "I could tell you-" he watched as Belle's eyes lit up, "-But where would the fun be in that?"

She whimpered, "Please?" The blasted beast wouldn't tell her, the own mother of the child! He preferred to play his own little games.

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes gleamed with amusement. "My secret... for now." Oh, he did enjoy his little games with Belle, though by the looks of it, she really did not.

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_** Hope you loved it! I combined some light conversation, some revelations, and more of our mischievous little imp for your enjoyment.**_

_** Remember: I could really use ideas for future chapters. I suppose I really should plan a head a bit more, but I prefer to just let my imagination flow. Well, I fear that I will be hitting some dry ground soon and that means writer's block. So, please help me out! Thanks! You guys are one of my greatest means of inspiration.**_


	8. Chapter 8

_** This is going to be a really short chapter. Today was my first real day at work, and I am exhausted, but I still feel like I should give you guys something to hold you off until I have more time and energy to write. So, sorry about the length but I hope you like it. I'm just gonna upload this and then it's off to bed. Gnight...**_

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__"Come on, can't you teach me?" Rumpelstiltskin frowned and Belle jutted her lips out in a pout. "Sour puss," she muttered to herself, but he heard her.

He turned to look at her. His stool squeaked as he moved. "I just don't understand why you want to learn so badly."  
"Because," she sighed and then grinned, "I have been here for over a year and have had to watch you spin day in and day out, week after week, month after month. Perhaps I just want to see what you find so intriguing about it."

Rumpelstiltskin stroked the spinning wheel at his side and set his lips in a thin line. "I spin to forget things in my past, dearie. You know that."

Belle walked up to him and leaned down so that she could look him right in the eyes. "Well, maybe I have some things in my past that I want to forget about too. Ever think of that?" His eyes narrowed at her sly, yet apparent, attempt to manipulate him, and he grinned impishly.

Giggling, he pointed one finger in the air and said in his high-pitched tone, "I know when to spot a trickster, dearie! You think that that is a good enough reason for me to allow you to work at my beloved wheel?"

"Yes." She knelt down before him and clasped her hands in front of her as if she were praying. "Please? Please, please, pretty please. Please-"

"Alright," the fiend finally conceded, "If only to be rid of your endless chatter. Now stop acting like a child and get up off of the floor." Belle was grinning now as she obeyed, and Rumpelstiltskin was trying to hide a smirk. To see Belle happy always made him happy. Almost as if her light was shining just a bit through his blackened heart. No. Not 'as if'. That was exactly as he would describe it. It was a craft that only she had mastered. He stood up from his stool and Belle took her place upon it, straightening her blue skirts around her.

"What now?" She looked up at where he was standing just behind her and tried not to wince when she realized how close they were. Close proximity always seemed to take her breath away.

"First," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "You have to thread the bobbin, like this." He proceeded to show her how.

Belle's forehead crinkled in thought. "Will I be able to spin the straw into gold, like you do? Or do I need magic?"

He shook his head, though she couldn't see him do so. "You can learn, but we shall save that for another day. Now, this piece of straw wraps around there and pulls out here. See?" Belle nodded slightly.

"I do. What do I do now?"

"Now," she jumped as she felt his voice very close to her ear, "You spin. Place your hand," he grabbed her hand and it was as if the air around them was suddenly charged with electricity. Belle gulped as she tried to steady her rapidly beating heart, "Right here." He moved her hand to the very top of the wheel, never once breaking contact. "Move your hand, gently spinning the wheel. Belle, you will need to do it at just the right speed. Too slow will cause the straw to tangle, and too fast will not have the desired effect. Find the perfect middle." He released her hand and watched her.

Rumpelstiltskin seemed to be having the strangest sense of deja vu'. Hadn't he done this before? Well, yes, he had taught Cora to spin straw into gold, many years ago. He had touched her, caressed her, kissed her softly on her pulse point. Being this close to Belle was beginning to cloud his thinking. He feared that he would begin to do the same things that he had done to Cora. But Belle, he reasoned, did not deserve that. Belle deserved so much more than what Rumpelstiltskin had given to his very first apprentice.

"You are going too slow, Belle," he taught in a soft voice, resisting the urge to press his lips to her pulse point just below her ear. _She is not Cora, not Cora_, his mind muttered, trying to clear his thinking yet again. "You must go just a bit faster." Without hesitation, he had brought his hand up to hers and was showing her again how to turn the wheel.

Belle closed her eyes for just a moment, trying to gather up her thoughts. How could it be that when he was this close to her, it would seem that all rational thinking and all reason would simply vanish?! He was the only man she knew that could ever have such an effect on her. She felt as if she was drugged, so potent was the spell cast about them. Her mind cleared for a split second as she felt him place his other hand on her shoulder. His palm seemed to burn through her fabric and into her skin, leaving her flesh feeling warm. It was probably the blush that was steadily creeping up her neck.

Rumpelstiltskin had placed his hand on her shoulder to steady himself. He was finding that the longer he stayed this close to Belle, the harder it was for him to keep standing on his feet. He tried not to stroke her shoulder as he desperately sought to concentrate on teaching Belle. That was, after all, what he was supposed to be doing...right? She was spinning the wheel at the perfect speed, had found the middle ground, and yet he did not release her hand. He continued to hold it, guiding it around and around, but the beauty didn't seem to mind.

"Brilliant, Belle," he whispered hoarsely, his voice sounding much deeper than he had intended. "You are a natural."

She shifted in her seat to look up at him, so close that their noses nearly touched. "Well, I-" her voice failed her and she cleared her throat, "I have a good teacher." She smiled slightly before her eyebrows scrunched in concern. "Are you feeling alright, Rum? You look a bit peaked?"

Truth be told, Rumpelstiltskin did feel a little bit sick, a little queasy to his stomach. Belle's presence was an intoxicating smoke and he felt as if he were being choked by it, especially with her face so close, and those deliciously forbidden lips ever present. He glanced down at them against his will and cursed inwardly as he saw that Belle had noticed his actions. For a moment, he could have kissed her. He could have let time stand still and damn the consequences. But then he remembered what had happened the first time they had kissed, how he had nearly changed back into a cowardly, useless man, and how he had been furious at her. The Queen wanted them to grow close so that when Belle left, his heart would be broken. To continue to grow closer like this would only worsen the situation. What on earth had he been thinking.

Quickly, he pulled away and tried to distance himself as much as possible from the beauty. "Fine," he replied indifferently. "You?"

"Fine," she responded, but did she sound a little breathless? His mind must be playing tricks on him. Then again, her neck and face were stained crimson. He smirked. Only Belle could look positively beautiful even when he was desperate to be away from her. Right. _Away from her._

"You did well today, Belle. Continue to practice. But don't think you will be using this spinning wheel whenever you feel like it. It is still mine." Before she could respond, he had disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

Belle's bottom lip quivered with the leftover energy that had charged through her body. She sighed. "Wouldn't dream of it."

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_** My sister inspired me with this chapter, so thanks, sis! Also, jewel415 and TendernessoftheHeart, I missed your reviews on the last chapter. Please come back! Seriously, you guys make me smile so much!**_

_** Alright, goodnight everyone!**_


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